General News

A Sokoto-based women organisation, ‘100-Women Group’, has commenced a house-to-house sensitisation to curb the recurrence of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and other harmful practices.

Hajia Fatima Umar, the group’s Coordinator said this at Magajin Gari in Sokoto North Local Government Area on Wednesday

Umar also said that the group considered the need to educate women and girls on the effects of rape on the psychological and social well-being of the girl-child.

She emphasised the need for people to understand the implications of SGBV, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAAP) Law in relation to daily living.

Umar described poor understanding, culture of silence and compromise as challenges in tackling the menace of rape, assault and other forms of exploitation of women and girls in the communities.

She educated the gathering on categories of GBV, prevalence, consequences, policies and laws, as well as modalities to report incidents and referral pathways.

The coordinator cautioned people against hiding incidents and urged them to expose perpetrators in the communities.

She also urged women to stand up to speak against all forms of GBV in their respective environments.

The coordinator lamented that discriminatory behaviours against the female gender in social norms and actions were detrimental to women and girls.

This, according to her, are prevalent especially in domestic duties and educational pursuits, adding, ”this constitutes part of the challenges.”

Similarly, the deputy coordinator of the group, Fatima Larai-Tahir, described poor attention by security agents on investigating reported cases, diligent prosecution and securing penalties for perpetrators as serious hitches.

Larai-Tahir said that compromise from survivors’ relatives and intemperance in compounding the reported cases remain the challenges faced by the association members.

According to her, the group had intervened in settling a series of matrimonial disputes, family neglect of children and other domestic abuses in the communities.

She said: ”Much had been achieved in ensuring family members live up to their expectations of reporting rape and other GBV cases with supported of donor agencies through the UN-EU Spotlight Initiative Project.”

Larai-Tahir urged people, especially men who were husbands and custodians of families to promote best ways to address gender equitable norms and best ways to handle GBV cases, support survivors and eliminate violence against women and girls.

She added: ”No fewer than 12 communities have been visited so far by the group and more areas will be visited.

”The citizens should live up to expectations in protecting the dignity of women and girls as well as accord them a desired livelihood support.”  (NAN)

T.S

Tags: Fatima Larai-Tahir Hajia Fatima Umar Magajin Gari